Bearing temperature regulation and lubrication system

Abstract

A bearing temperature regulation and lubrication system is provided including a lubricating fluid which may be heated or cooled, one or more bearings disposed within a hollow chamber of a bearing housing, the bearing housing having an inlet and an outlet for allowing the fluid to circulate through the hollow chamber around the roller bearing and races, a pump for circulating the fluid, a fluid circulation and heating loop having a heater for heating the fluid, a fluid-cooling circulation loop having a chiller for cooling the fluid, solenoid valves for engaging or disengaging the circulation of fluid through each of the circulation loops, a thermostat for monitoring the temperature of the bearings and for selectively operating the solenoid valves and electric heater.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of maintaining the temperature of a bearing at a preselected temperature or within a range of temperatures, which comprises: monitoring the temperature of said bearing;   circulating a fluid through a chiller and then through said bearing to absorb heat from said bearing when said bearing temperature rises above a preselected first temperature; and   circulating a fluid through a heater and then around said bearing to transfer heat to said bearing when said bearing temperature falls below a preselected second temperature.   
     
     
       2. A bearing temperature regulation system comprising: a fluid, said fluid being capable of being heated or cooled;   bearing housing means for enclosing one or more bearings, said housing means having a hollow fluid chamber for the passage of said fluid therethrough and in fluid communication with said bearings;   said hollow fluid chamber having inlet means and outlet means for the passage of said fluid through said hollow fluid chamber;   thermostat means for sensing the temperature of said fluid after said fluid has passed through said housing means, and for selectively controlling the operation of a fluid-cooling circulation loop and a fluid circulation and heating loop;   a pump for pumping said fluid through said hollow fluid chamber and through said fluid-cooling circulation loop or said fluid circulation and heating loop;   said fluid-cooling circulation loop being in communication with said hollow fluid chamber and said pump, and including chiller means for cooling said fluid and at least one solenoid valve in communication with said thermostat means for selectively controlling the flow of chilled fluid through said hollow fluid chamber;   said fluid circulation and heating loop being in communication with said hollow fluid chamber and said pump, and including a heater means for heating said fluid, and at least one solenoid valve in communication with said thermostat means for selectively controlling the flow of fluid from the circulation and heating loop through said hollow fluid chamber;   said thermostat means responding to a fluid temperature reading above a preselected value to open said at least one solenoid valve of the fluid-cooling circulation loop, and closing said at least one solenoid valve of the fluid circulation and heating loop to circulate chilled fluid through said hollow fluid chamber and around said bearings to absorb heat from said bearings;   said thermostat means responding to a fluid temperature reading below a preselected value to open said at least one solenoid valve of the fluid circulation and heating loop and closing said at least one solenoid valve of the fluid-cooling circulation loop to circulate fluid from said circulation and heating loop through said hollow fluid chamber and around said bearings to transfer heat to said bearings.   
     
     
       3. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 2 including a recirculation cooling loop, said recirculation cooling loop having a second pump for circulating fluid through said chiller means and back to said second pump, said recirculation cooling loop operating when said fluid circulation and heating loop is operating. 
     
     
       4. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 2 wherein said fluid has a specific heat of about 0.8 or greater. 
     
     
       5. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 2 wherein said fluid includes ethylene glycol and water. 
     
     
       6. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 2 wherein said thermostat controls the heater means. 
     
     
       7. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 2 including temperature gauges in communication with said outlet means. 
     
     
       8. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 2 including flow control valves in communication with said outlet means to adjust the flow rate to the bearings. 
     
     
       9. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 2 further including a plurality of bearing housing means, said fluid-cooling circulation loop and said fluid circulation and heating loop being in communication with the plurality of said bearing housing means. 
     
     
       10. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 2 wherein said fluid is circulated through said bearing housing means at a rate of about 3 to 6 gallons per minute per bearing. 
     
     
       11. A bearing temperature regulation system comprising: a fluid, said fluid being capable of being heated or cooled;   bearing housing means having a hollow chamber for enclosing one or more bearings within said hollow chamber;   a fluid circulation and heating loop in fluid communication with said bearings, and having a heater means for heating said fluid, and at least one valve for controlling the -circulation of said fluid through said fluid circulation and heating loop;   a fluid-cooling circulation loop in fluid communication with said bearings, and having a chiller means for cooling said fluid, and at least one valve for controlling the circulation of said fluid through said fluid-cooling circulation loop;   a pump means for circulating said fluid through said fluid circulation and heating loop and said fluid-cooling circulation loop;   a thermostat means for monitoring the temperature of said fluid after circulating through said bearing housing means, and for selectively controlling the operation of said at least one valve of said fluid circulation and heating loop and said at least one valve of said fluid-cooling circulation loop.   
     
     
       12. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 11 including a recirculation cooling loop, said recirculation cooling loop having a second pump for circulating fluid through said chiller means and back to said second pump, said recirculation cooling loop capable of independently circulating a portion of the fluid during the operation of said fluid circulation and heating loop. 
     
     
       13. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 11 wherein said fluid has a specific heat of about 0.8 or greater. 
     
     
       14. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 11 wherein said fluid includes ethylene glycol and water. 
     
     
       15. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 11 wherein said thermostat controls the heater means. 
     
     
       16. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 11 including temperature gauges in communication with said fluid circulation and heating loop and the fluid-cooling circulation loop. 
     
     
       17. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 11 including flow rate control valves in communication with said fluid circulation and heating loop and the fluid-cooling circulation loop. 
     
     
       18. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 11 including a plurality of bearing housing means, wherein said fluid-cooling circulation loop and said fluid circulation and heating loop are in communication with said plurality of said bearing housing means. 
     
     
       19. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 11 wherein said fluid is circulated through said bearing housing means at a rate of 3 to 6 gallons per minute per bearing. 
     
     
       20. The bearing temperature regulation system of claim 11 wherein the temperature of the bearings fluctuates within +/-1/2° F. temperature range during operation.